Forecasters say Hurricane Florence is generating enormous waves, as high as 83 feet (25 meters) as it makes its way toward the East Coast.

The National Hurricane Center says the waves were measured by satellite.

The huge waves are being produced because currents are trapped by very strong winds moving in the same direction the storm's motion. The center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch is tweeting about the phenomenon.

The center of the storm is about 485 miles (785 kilometers) out to sea, with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 175 miles (280 kilometers).

___

11 a.m.

Forecasters say Hurricane Florence is expected to steadily slow down as it makes its way toward the East Coast.

At 11 a.m., the storm was centered 485 miles (785 kilometers) southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, moving at 15 mph (24 kph).

Some strengthening is forecast through Wednesday night, drawing energy from the warm water. Its winds could approach Category 5 strength, which means winds of 157 mph (253 kph) or higher.

Florence is the most dangerous of three tropical systems in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Isaac was expected to pass south of Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Cuba. Hurricane Helene was expected to weaken over the eastern Atlantic. Forecasters also were tracking two other disturbances.

___

10:45 a.m.

Forecasters said Wednesday that Florence's wind field is expanding, making it a large, stable hurricane with a clearly defined eye at its center.

National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham warns that a slight shift in Florence's forecast track does not mean that some communities north of the storm are now in the clear.

The "cone of error" in the forecast track only predicts where the storm's center might go, and even on its edges, winds can push a powerful storm surge into shore dozens of miles from where Florence's eyewall strikes land.

As Graham says, "just because you have a landfall to your south doesn't mean you're out of the woods, because the winds are huge around this system."

Wave heights to 83 ft were measured early this morning by satellite altimeter under the northeast quadrant of Hurricane Florence. These enormous waves are produced by being trapped along with very strong winds moving in the same direction as the storm's motion. pic.twitter.com/nD9CZQWWpE

Tags

Welcome to the conversation.

We strive to be fair and accurate in our reporting. In turn, we ask
that you remain civil and open-minded in your responses. Comments
should be relevant to the topic at hand, factual and thoughtful.
The comments section is like a letter to the editor, not a chat
room. Please read the full commenting rules before posting.
Read the full rules here.

Watch this discussion.Stop watching this discussion.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

We strive to be fair and accurate in our reporting. In turn, we ask
that you remain civil and open-minded in your responses. Comments
should be relevant to the topic at hand, factual and thoughtful.
The comments section is like a letter to the editor, not a chat
room. Please read the full commenting rules before posting.